2012 Editors’ Choice: XC Race 29er

Scott Spark 29 RC

4 / 5

Long, low, fast, and responsive, this bike is built for speed. The rear suspension felt snappy without feeling harsh. The Spark comes with excellent parts, though testers had mixed feelings about the Twin-Loc, which locks out the front and rear suspension with a single lever. The Scott-specific DT-Swiss rear shock felt springy on fast descents.